McMaster's EASA and MacAfricans launch MACAFCON

McMaster EASA and MacAfricans join forces and kick off the year with MACAFCON to celebrate community and culture through sport and food

MacAfricans and the East African Student Association at McMaster University partnered to host both clubs' first event of the year, MACAFCON. Taking place on Sept. 25, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., this event included a soccer tournament, mini-games, food and lively music.

This exciting event was inspired by the African Cup of Nations, AFCON and the recent World Cup. AFCON is a soccer tournament in Africa that takes place every two years and is played by the national teams of participating countries.

The first portion of MACAFCON began with the soccer tournament at 10 Acre Field at McMaster. All participants were required to register to play. The registration form was accessible via EASA’s Instagram and included the player’s name and country they represented.

Diella Barihuta is the administrative coordinator of the East African Student Association and recalled the expected competitiveness among participants representing all regions of Africa. “MacAfricans has a lot of Nigerians in their executive team and a lot of people that follow MacAfricans [on social media] are West African. So as East [African], we don't really have a lot of representation. So let's see if we can breed a little competition,” said Barihuta.

The idea for MACAFCON emerged during a brainstorming session among the EASA executive team. “I can't even pinpoint the moment, I just feel like it happened and then it was just snowballing,” said Barihuta, highlighting the enthusiasm and collaborative spirit during the event's creation.

After the soccer matches, attendees gathered at Peter George Centre for Living and Learning. The event was designed to be inclusive, featuring a range of activities for everyone. The room buzzed with excitement as students participated in a variety of mini-games and enjoyed complimentary cultural food.

“The mini-games that we did we kept simple . . . We had Uno, Pig and cards of humanities . . . it was beautiful, we wanted for people to feel relaxed enough to play against each other," said Barihuta.

Barihuta also recalled some memorable moments from the tournament. “One highlight was definitely the music. We played a mix from various regions in Africa, and it was heartwarming to see everyone vibing and dancing together,” said Barihuta. 

The turnout for MACAFCON exceeded Barihuta's expectations. “That huge of a turn out at the first event and all the stress that was going through the last two weeks to get it done was incredible,” said Barihuta. “Even though it rained a little bit people still showed out, and that was really lovely to see.”

Food played a significant role in bringing people together at MACAFCON. Catering was provided by Swahili Fusion, featuring Kenyan dishes such as pilau, chicken, pork and chapati. “Because it was such a huge turnout, we ended up having to add pizza,” shared Barihuta, highlighting the unexpected success of the event.

At the heart of MACAFCON was the emphasis on community. “It's really the community aspect,” emphasized Barihuta. “I've lived in five different countries, four of them being African and community was something that was so normalized.”

EASA and MacAfricans aimed to foster an environment where students, regardless of their backgrounds, could come together to share joy, laughter, and food. “Even though they might not come from our country there's that shared connection and community,” said Barihuta.

With MACAFCON’s success, both clubs are excited about future events and initiatives. Students can follow EASA and MacAfricans on social media for updates and opportunities to get involved.